


Tastes Like You, Only Sweeter

by recklesssketches



Category: The Cruel Prince, The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Smut, What Have I Done, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2020-07-08 09:27:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19867312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/recklesssketches/pseuds/recklesssketches
Summary: After a whirlwind of a drunken night leads to a one night stand (or does it?), Jude Duarte receives a proposition from the last person she'd expect.





	1. A One Night Stand Off

**Author's Note:**

> do i know how long this is gonna be? nope! enjoy the ride, i love jude and cardan

The last thing Jude wanted to do was go to a party.

She worked her ass off, even with the nudges from her adoptive father, to get into law and criminal justice at Elfhame U, and even managed to get her sister Taryn in as well-- though, she was opting for a degree in communications-- and she was not about to let this ruin it for her. 

But of course, Taryn insisted that networking was how you move up the social ladder, and even make some business connections. And she was right, but it still worried her. There’s work to be done and books to read and mock cases to solve. She had hardened herself into a statue for this opportunity to be here, and yet, Taryn managed to get to the part that was still soft and twist her arm. 

So now, Jude found herself sitting in the corner of her ex’s frat house, watching said ex make out with her sister, as she took a long swig of whatever was in the cup. It was horrible; both sweet and bitter at the same time, with flakes of something gold swimming around inside. Music blared but it wasn’t any good, she was angry, and she wanted to leave so badly. But for some reason, she stayed, shaking her head and grinding her teeth. 

She looked around the room, towards a group cheering and dancing as she took another gulp, the sting of the alcohol burning her throat. Someone in the center of the living room was dancing, grabbing a woman from the crowd and pulling her in. Jude huffed, rolling her eyes.

“Ah, look at you. Miserable as ever.”

Jude turned her head, and groaned. Cardan Greenbriar, of course. She should’ve known.

All she did was glare at him, and take a long sip from her cup until it was empty. Cardan seemed to have a full one, but judging by the small flush in his cheeks she suspected he’s had a few before hand. 

“Come here to pull my hair and rip it out? Or put a drug in my drink?” She spat. “After everything you and your friends have done, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

He scoffed, harsh and short. “Surprisingly, no, but I’m sure I can find something horrid to do to you. Though, it’s going to be hard to beat that.” Cardan pointed to Taryn and Locke, Jude growling into her cup.

The music blared between them, and both chugged their drinks. Then another. The process of insult, comeback, drink, repeat, became a cycle, and Jude’s head was blaring. She wouldn’t normally drink this much, but she had nothing better to do, and it distracted from all the whispers and rumors flying around her, music overtaking everything and the taste becoming so, so good. 

Cardan looked like he was holding, but barely better than she was. The flush was high in his cheeks now, gold flakes from the drink on his lips and hair falling in his face. Finally, after the upteenth cup, he shook his head, and turned to Jude.

“There’s no fun here,” he began, blinking lazily.

The alcohol buzzing in her veins was finally happy, giving her an urge to dance, but Jude couldn’t bring herself to do it with the music and everyone around. “No, there isn’t.”

“Do you want to leave?” he asked, and Jude nodded.

Her vision was pulsing now, and then she was out on the sidewalk with Cardan. They stumbled together and accidentally ran Cardan into a street post, but both were laughing and too drunk to care. She was still buzzing and dancing, and then they were in an apartment, and Cardan turned on some music. 

He danced with Jude, though drunkenly and mostly they were too far gone to even care, and the song changed from something fast paced to a little slower. She didn’t remember getting so close to him. She didn’t remember hooking an arm around his neck and one leg on his hip. God, sober Jude would stop, slap him, slap _herself, leave._

_Drunk Jude_ , however, had no shame, and certainly had no shame in watching the way Cardan’s gaze followed up from her leg to her throat. Cardan pressed a kiss to the hollow of her throat, and she tipped her head back, running a hand through his hair. She tugged, pulling him up and bringing her lips to his. 

The music suddenly didn’t matter anymore. They broke apart, reconnected, and then Cardan lifted her to his hips and carried her down the hall, into the bedroom, and dropping her on the bed. 

He kissed her again, this time with more fervor, hands roaming up and down her body, as Jude fumbled with the hem of his shirt. He pulled away from her and sat back on his knees, hastily unbuttoning and discarding the shirt. Jude blinked once, twice, before her brain kicked into gear, and she followed in suit. Shirts were gone, then shoes, then the pants. Cardan looked down at her undergarments, a lopsided smile on his face. “Never saw you as a floral person,”

“You’ve never really seen me as a person,” she countered, panting.

“Mm, I do see you,” he replied, unclasping her bra. “You haunt me in my nightmares.”

Jude laughed, and watched as Cardan’s hands sunk lower, to her hips, before an inkling of her senses came back.  _ I’ve never slept with someone. I’m drunk. I feel like I’m going to pass out. I’m afraid.  _

Cardan looked up when her hands came to his shoulders. No words were spoken, but he only had to look at her to confirm. He moved his hands away, rolling next to Jude. Jude shifted onto her side, blinking at him. “I’m afraid.”

“I know,” he replied, swaying just a bit. “That’s why… that’s why I stopped.”

Jude’s eyes felt heavy, and her world was spinning. She let her head fall back onto the pillows, and the world went black.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The morning light was blinding, and the music from the other side of the door was a soft jazz. 

Jude stayed lying down as much as possible, her head pounding. It took her a few good minutes to realize that she was not in her apartment. Her bedroom was not this bare, nor were the sheets she owned this expensive.

It took her even longer to realize she was naked but for her underwear. 

She sat up, rubbing her eyes, and looked around. She couldn’t find anything personal to look like who it belonged to, but the weight on the other side of the bed shifting was a pretty good clue. She turned, and found herself staring Cardan straight in the eye.

They screamed, and Jude punched him in the face.


	2. It's the wrongs that make the words come to life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Faerie wine?” Jude repeated. “You mean Locke’s shitstorm of a drink?”  
> He whined, but nodded. “Red wine mixed with vodka, cherry margarita flavoring, and two shots of jaeger. Hell in a bottle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how do you write

“Oh my god. Oh, my god,” Jude groaned, holding her head in her hands. “I slept with Cardan Greenbriar. Fuck, I _cannot_ have slept with _Cardan Greenbriar.”_

Cardan rubbed his jaw, pinching the bridge of his nose. “And I can’t believe I took you to bed. But yet, we’re here. Did you break my nose?”

“This cannot be happening,” she lifted the sheets, observing she was indeed mostly naked, before covering herself and groaning. “No, no no no no no.”

Cardan, on the other hand, plucked her bra off the bedpost, raising a brow, before tossing it down between them. “Fucking faerie wine.”

“Faerie wine?” Jude repeated. “You mean Locke’s shitstorm of a drink?”

He whined, but nodded. “Red wine mixed with vodka, cherry margarita flavoring, and two shots of jaeger. Hell in a bottle.”

She groaned again, shaking her head furiously as she put her bra back on. “I shouldn’t have even agreed to go last night. This was a mistake.”

“Amongst many other things.” he fell back onto the sheets, running his hands through his hair. “How did my trousers end up there?”

Jude scoured the room, finding her shirt and pulling it on, covering herself from him. “You’re insufferable.”

“You’re misery incarnate.” he shot back.

Jude searched around the room, keeping her arms crossed as if to shield herself. Hate and fury boiled in her stomach; hate towards Cardan for taking advantage of her like that, hate towards herself for letting her guard down. She found her jeans from the night before, and cardan pulled on his trousers, taking that as his cue to leave the room.

When Jude came out into the living room, the music had been turned off, Cardan leaning over the kitchen counter as he lazily poured an ungodly amount of sugar into his coffee. He met her eyes, and shook his head. “If you tell anyone about what happened last night,” she huffed, finding one of her boots and searching for the other. “I will end you. I’ll make you regret ever even having me cross your mind.”

Cardan scoffed, a sharp and cold sound. “Trust me, even if I could recall all of the events of last night, I’d rather have my tongue cut from my mouth.”

“Bastard.”

“Vile.”

“Asshole.”

“Hellish woman.”

Jude growled, storming out of the apartment slamming the door behind her.

  
  
  
  
  


______________________________________________________________________

  
  


Cardan’s phone buzzed again for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon.

**Nicasia:**

_Why aren’t you answering my calls?_

**Nicasia:**

_Where did you go last night? I didn’t see you leave._

**Nicasia:**

_ Answer me!! _

He rolled his eyes, tossing the phone onto the coffee table. He was draped across the couch, not bothering to be productive after the party-- and consequently, the raging hangover, and raging Jude.

Jude. _Jude, Jude, Jude._ Poison in his mouth. Poison in his mind. Yet like the emperor who poisoned himself every day to build an immunity, he couldn’t seem to relieve his mind of her.

Cutthroat. Spiteful. Hate fueled. _Jude._

His phone buzzed again, and Cardan actually groaned, checking the message.

**Nicasia:**

_ We had a date for the benefactor’s ball next month. Keep ignoring me in drunken stupors like this and I will find someone else. _

This was probably dangerous territory. He and Nicasia were exes, her getting with that scoundrel Locke before he tossed her aside for another woman, and she returned to him looking for a companion. But it had hurt Cardan deeply, like a knife to the stomach, and he wasn’t willing to take it again. Their families expected nothing but well wishes and possible relationships between them; it was a shame Cardan didn’t even bother to tell them they were over. Though, not like anyone would have cared.

Before he could mull it over any more in his mind, Nicasia called him, and he begrudgingly answered. “Are you calling to tell me you’re about to drag me to the depths of the sea and finally end me?”

“Stop dodging me, Cardan.” Nicasia’s voice, always somehow laced with both honey and acid, drawled from the other end. “You can’t keep avoiding me. We have arrangements.”

“Arrangements we made in the past under different circumstances,” Cardan returned, keeping his voice steely and cold. “And those have changed.”

“Cardan, think this through. You’re the son of one of the most powerful executives in the country. My mother is practically an international trade queen. Whatever we had before doesn’t matter; do you realize how powerful we could be?”

He bit the inside of his cheek, clenching his jaw. He hoped she could feel his rising impatience. “Nicasia, you are correct. What we had before doesn’t matter. Therefore, do find yourself another person to attend with you.”

“What?!” Nicasia roared. “Cardan, you spoiled rotten fool. If not me, then who?”

Cardan paused, choosing his next words very carefully. Something across the room buzzed. He rummaged as Nicasia repeated herself like a broken record, asking who it would be if it weren’t her. He pulled a phone from under the chair cushion, the screen lit up.

**Taryn:**

_ Hello? Whoever has my sister’s phone, can you please tell her or return it? _

Inklings of a plan bubbled in his mind, as he finally answered, “Oh, I think I can manage to find someone. Someone as rotten as I am.”

____________________________________________________________________

It was the third knock Jude made it to the door, and it took all her self restraint to not slam it in his face.

“Hello, Jude,” Cardan said, holding her phone up. “I believe this is yours. And, while I’m here, I’ve got a proposition to make.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!   
> Art instagram: @recklesssketches  
> Tumblr: recklesssketches  
> Redbubble: recklesssketch


	3. Say a prayer and let the good times roll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He leaned forwards, steepling his fingers. He looked confident, relaxed even, if Jude pretended she didn’t know him. “How would you like to be in the most elite social circle you’ll ever have the chance of meeting?”
> 
> She scoffed. “Tell me the real thing.”
> 
> “I am. I’m offering you a chance to climb your way to the very top. All you need is a ticket in.”
> 
> “And that ticket is…?”  
> “Me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM NOT DEAD BUT WITH THE WAY 2020 HAS BEEN GOING IT SURE DOES FEEL LIKE PURGATORY HUH BOYS.  
> I'm sorry this took so long! College is what's more important to me and I'd like to focus on my illustration. Also wow I didn't expect this many people to like this?? Thank you so much! And for everyone who says this is very 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before,' you're very right! The idea of this fic came from it. Enjoy chapter 3!

It was taking all of Jude’s self control to keep a placid face, though her hand on the door handle was twitching. She reached out, trying to snatch up her phone from his hands, but he moved it away from her grasp quickly.

“Hear me out,” Cardan started.

“No. Give me my phone back.” Jude rolled her eyes, lunging again for her phone. 

“I’ll give it to you if you agree to listen to me.” he offered, holding it towards her. “I’m a man of negotiation.”

Jude stilled, staring him down as she contemplated. Sure, she could listen to him, but despite how much she loathed him, she knew how Cardan thought. He’s good with words and his silver tongue; never truly lying, but never the full truth. A steel hand in a velvet glove. On the other hand, if she’s careful, she can use whatever he wishes to offer her to her advantage.

So she stepped aside, gesturing curtly for him to enter.

  
  


Cardan stepped inside, making his way to the middle of the living room, Jude not taking her eyes off of him. He looked around, and gingerly sat on the armchair closest to him, Jude sitting on the couch. “Phone first,” she said, holding out her hand. 

Cardan obliged, shaking his head a bit as he watched her snatch it back. 

“Go ahead. Tell me your proposition.” Jude shifted in her place, clearing her throat.

He leaned forwards, steepling his fingers. He looked confident, relaxed even, if Jude pretended she didn’t know him. “How would you like to be in the most elite social circle you’ll ever have the chance of meeting?”

She scoffed. “Tell me the real thing.”

“I am. I’m offering you a chance to climb your way to the very top. All you need is a ticket in.”

“And that ticket is…?”   
“Me.”

Jude threw her head back and laughed in disbelief. “You’ve got to be messing with me. There’s no way you’re doing this of your own will. Did Nicasia put you up to this? Or Locke?”   
“And if it’s the truth?” Cardan’s mouth twitched ever so slightly, but he kept his poker face otherwise.

“I don’t believe you. You,” she huffed, rubbing her temples. “You’ve made it very clear that my sister’s and my presence here is not wanted. You’ve never missed an opportunity to put yourself on a higher pedestal, and you and your friends have always treated us like dirt. Why the hell would I agree to it after all you’ve done?”

Cardan paused, taking a deep breath. She could tell he was picking his next words very, very carefully. “I can’t excuse what I have done to you. Those things were wretched and foul beyond reason. But I’m not asking for you to simply forget all of those things; if I wanted that I would come about that conclusion a much different way. What I’m offering to you is a chance to put yourself out to the most elite of society. You could get hired by one of them, or if they see enough in you, you’d become one.”

“Madoc already is a part of it. I don’t need your help. I’ve been to events, I’ve done what I was told by him and Oriana. I don’t need you.”

“Perhaps you have gone with them, but they haven’t seen you as anyone. Just Madoc’s adopted children; not even fully his. But the top is full of scandals and corruption that I highly doubt they would even care.”   
“You’re not making your case any better for yourself.” Jude deadpanned. 

“What I mean to say is,” Cardan sighed. “If you accept my offer, I can get you further than Madoc ever could imagine; being involved with my family will put your name on the ledger and people will know who you are, and just how powerful you are. And knowing you, the opportunity to be in power over not only Nicasia and Locke and I, but everyone here, and everyone in power currently.”

Jude kept herself steeled, but mulled over as much as she could. She didn’t trust him at all. She knew Cardan was playing at an angle, he always does. He’s never been one to pay attention well, but she’s seen his scores and how he ranks in the top 10. He’s clever in all the worst ways. But yet, there it was. Temptation of everything she wanted: to be rich, to be strong, to get back at those who treated her as lower than dirt.

Finally, she caved, taking a sip of water. “What is your offer?”

Cardan grinned, horribly wicked. “There’s an important benefactor’s ball in a month. Everyone who’s anyone important in Elfhame will be there. And I’m asking you to go with me as my date.”

Jude choked, spitting her drink out. _“What?”_

“Not a real one,” Cardan added quickly. “Fake. Nicasia has gotten on my last nerves and I want to get back.”

“You want me,” Jude said slowly. “To be your fake girlfriend for a night? What’s in it for you?”

Cardan nodded, leaning back. “Spite, mostly. On Nicasia, my family, everyone who I deem fitting.”

“You’re despicable.” She said, at a loss for better words.

“Yes, quite so. I’m aware I’m the worst.” he grinned. “Do we have a deal?”

They kept eye contact, before Jude rose from her seat and went to the desk to retrieve a pen and a piece of paper. Cardan laughed. “Oh, you are really committing to the criminal justice thing aren’t you?”

“If we do this, Cardan, we have to do this right.” Jude began writing once she returned, at the top of the page in big letters _‘DATING CONTRACT.’_ “I know your people. They see what they want to see. And if you show up with me for one night and one night only they will see right through it; think I’ve been paid as an escort.”

“Ah,” he nodded, folding his hands together and resting his chin on top of them. “So we really need to make it look real. Cunning as always.”

She looked up at him briefly, brows knitted. She didn’t believe him for a second. “First rule: you are allowed to hold my hand around people we need to convince--”

“Which is nearly everyone,” he interrupted.

“Fine,” she sighed. “You are allowed to hold my hand in public, keep me at a reasonably close distance, and small hugs are okay. Should we come to it, a kiss on the cheek is fine if necessary.”

“Alright,” Cardan said, turning the paper towards him and taking the pen from her hands. “Second rule: if either of us are prompted in the timeframe of our arrangement, we say we are dating.”

“Third,” she snatched the pen back, and turned the paper back to her. “I… I also get to call your driver while we’re dating.”

“What would you need that for?” he raised a brow.

“Fencing, boxing, mostly.” 

“...Very well. Oh, fourth rule: we need at least one ‘date’ a week to secure the ruse. At least one picture on social media proving it.”

“That’s… actually, really smart.” 

“Ah, look at you, you’re already getting the hang of it,” Cardan gave a smile, while Jude rolled her eyes.

“Anything else?” he asked. “We might need texts, or other proof, if any case someone decides to really dig deep.”

“Rule five,” Jude noted. “Any talk about this agreement and contract is to stay in person.”

“That sounds doable.” Cardan nodded, watching Jude write at the end, ‘By signing this I agree to the terms and conditions given.’ She drew two lines with x’s in front of them.

“So, I take it we have a deal?” Cardan asked, his wicked grin returning.

Jude looked at the contract, then to him, before signing. “Alright. Once we both get what we want, it’s over.”

“Wonderful,” he said, taking the pen after her and signing. 

“So, now we’re dating.” Jude said, leaning back. 

“Indeed we are.” Cardan nodded.

“Now what?”

“Well, I suppose we have to put something out to convince the people.”

“Like what?”

Cardan rose from his seat, offering out his hand and giving a mock bow. “Let’s do a test run. Consider it our first date. I’ll even let you pick where to go.”

Jude took his hand, standing with him. “Anywhere?”

“As long as it’s not a place where I could be murdered by your order.” he assured.

________________________________________________

When Jude said the mall, he should not have been as dumbfounded and disbelieving. He looked like a fool when they were in the parking lot.

Though, there were worse places he could imagine her taking him: weapon shopping to gut him, to the opera, or an abandoned apartment complex to leave him to rot. This didn’t even come to his mind.

Yet here he was roaming the mall with Jude, taking in everything. He wasn’t uncultured; he’d been to malls before, though they were more high end. He recognized some of the department stores with their fine linens and wonderful suits, and the essential jewelry stores selling their diamonds, but there were also stores for the more commonfolk, like one called Old Navy, another called Hot Topic. He wasn’t sure what either of them were but they were both completely different from what he was used to.

However, what blindsided him was the food court. Ten different restaurants in smaller settings all side by side, tables where everyone mingled and ate and drank. The wealthier malls didn’t have these; they had the occasional stand here and there and of course a coffee shop, it was mandatory, but it was all expensive steakhouses or bars or dessert houses. Most of the restaurants here were fast food.

“You’re staring, are you hungry?” Jude asked, pulling him out of his trance.

“Ah,” he shook his head, and looked behind them to the Starbucks. “I was thinking of what a good place was to officially get the word out.”

“Coffee shops, cliche but classic.” She nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”

“Mm, tell me what you would like. I’ll buy it for you.”

“I have--”   
“It’s a date,” He reminded. “And as your ‘date,’ shouldn’t I be the one paying?”

“I’ll pay you back for it,” She insisted, but he waved it aside, pushing her forwards to order, placed his own, and paid for them both before she could argue. She had ordered a black cold brew, while he ordered one of the sweetest drinks possible.

“Never took you for having a sweet tooth,” Jude hummed, taking a sip. “Most guys would be afraid of admitting they’d ordered that because its seen as ‘girly.’”

“Being afraid of ordering a ‘girly’ drink is as dumb as asking what color the sky is. It’s a drink.” Cardan rolled his eyes. “Besides, strawberries are delicious.”

“I can’t argue with that-- what are you doing?” She looked at him taking her hand, pulling out his phone with his free one. 

“Proof,” he said, as if it were obvious. “Now, sip your coffee, don’t look at me.”

She shot him a look, which he matched, before she huffed and did what he said. She heard the camera snap, before he dropped her hand onto the table and took his drink. “There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Jude rolled her eyes. “Alright, so that’s it? You’re going to leave me here then?”

“I could,” Cardan shrugged. “Or I could take a look around, see what kind of things they have here. I saw some quite shiny jewelry and a lovely sheer shirt I would love to get my hands on.”

“I’ll just leave you here then to your devices,” she said, rising from her seat. “I’ll go see if there’s anything I wish to get, and you get what you want, as usual.”

She grabbed her bag and began walking, leaving Cardan alone.

_______________________________________________

  
  


She probably should’ve expected something like this to happen after an hour.

Jude originally had gone in to Macy’s to browse the clearance workout gear, and on her way to the register with two pairs of leggings and a hoodie over her arm, she spotted Cardan at the jewelry section, examining a pair of mismatched dangling earrings. One was gold with a ruby crystal, the other was a little shorter, also gold, shaped to be a constellation. And judging by the look on his face, he was most likely going to take it.

But then he spotted her, only giving her a look in regard, and made his way to meet her. “Is that all you’re getting?”

“I didn’t need anything else.” Jude replied.

Cardan feigned a look similar to hurt. “Oh, is that all I am to you? An escort service and a card on a silver platter?”

Jude scrunched her nose, and ground her teeth. “No. I’m buying this with my own money. And I didn’t ask for you to buy me the drink earlier.”

“Yet you took it,” he mused.

“Regretfully.”

“This is going to work wonderfully between us.”

Jude found her way to the register, and paid for her things, Cardan after her and didn’t even look at the total before he paid. She envied that privilege, and envy morphed into hate very quickly. She added that onto her list of things she hated about Cardan, just after _‘borderline alcoholic.’_

And they made their way back out, where the car was waiting for them, and Cardan escorted her home. When they pulled into the driveway of her house, he lightly grabbed her shoulder to stop her from leaving the car. “Put your account in.”

Jude looked down at his phone extended out towards her, the search bar already open. She flicked her eyes back up to him, took the phone, and typed in her account. A beat passed, and she opened his contacts and put in her number. “There. Text me so I know it’s you.”

Cardan examined the number, the wicked smile back on his face. “Oh, you’ll know it’s me.”

“You’re so lucky I don’t have my pocket knife on me right now.”

“Incredibly. Otherwise you’d have taken your chance.”

Jude opened the car door, and stepped out, looking back at him. “I still hate you.”

Cardan nodded, saying his next words carefully. “I hate you as well. Goodbye for now, Jude.”

Jude shut the door and walked up to her front door, and didn’t hear the car leave until it shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes cardan got the pink drink, of course he'd get something like that he's the definition of extra


End file.
